Synopsys, Agastya Foundation tie up

Synopsys, a provider of electronic design automation (EDA) software for semiconductor design, has announced its partnership with the Agastya International Foundation, according to which it will provide the maintenance costs for one of the mobile labs of Agastya for one year.

Agastya is a movement led by entrepreneurs, educators, scientists, teachers and children to revitalise and transform primary and secondary education, and provide an affordable education model in India.

Since its inception in 1999, Agastya mobile science labs have reached over one million students and 40,000 teacher across the country.

According to Synopsis, the sponsorship will help participation of at least 15,000 children during the year. Each mobile science lab, equipped with over 120 experiment in physics, chemistry, biology and mechanics, will visit schools and host science fairs and teacher education workshops.

These will be organised in different villages in Paderu, a tribal area in Visakhapatnam district, AP and Bangalore rural district targeting the disadvantaged school children.

"The focus will primarily be on education with an emphasis on science to develop a new generation of skilled technologists who can contribute to the society. We are also offering time through employee volunteer hours and leadership programmes," said Nelson Pratt, VP, corporate marketing & branding, Synopsys.

"Mobile Science Labs delivers high-quality, creativity-based, basic education services to a large number of disadvantaged schoolchildren using innovative, cost-effective channels. By sponsoring the maintenance of one mobile science lab, Synopsys has chosen to support a leadership programme that will bring about a long-lasting change," said Ramji Raghavan, chairman, Agastya.